Therapeutic apparatus



THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1932 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W nnlell. Ldvkartxn 4 5 a INVENTQR I ATTORNLOZE Sept. 25, 1934. w. L. MARTIN 1,914,500

THERAPEUTI C APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j v j 55 Wendafl. L-M$xtl1 J7 l N v i. N TO K 66 1M a/WW AT To R N 51$ Patented Sept. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Wendell L. Martin, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Martin Brothers Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation oi Ohio Application May 16, 1932, Serial No. 611,518

16 Claims, (Cl. 128-256) of this type.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application I have shown, for purposes of illustration, one form which my invention may assume, and in these drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary composite view of an embodiment of the invention, disclosing a hood or casing in elevation, and a liquid reservoir means in vertical section corresponding substantially to the line 1-1 of Figure 4,

Figure 2 is a similar fragmentary view, disclosing a vertical sectional view of the hood or casing, and a vertical sectional view of the boiler employed in said embodiment, the sectional view of the latter corresponding substantially to the line 22 of Figure 4,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of said embodiment,

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the steam generating heater, parts being shown in vertical section, while Figure 6 is a diagrammatic layout disclosing the electrical circuits employed in said embodiment.

As shown in said embodiment 10 denotes a tubular support having at its upper end a bracket 11, provided with a laterally extending arm 12, carrying a tilted segmental support 13, accommodating the cylindrical wall of a casing 14, and secured thereto by screw bolts 15, whereby the casing 14 is supported in tilted position, with its mouth 88 opening obliquely downwardly and iiicluding an outlet area formed by a series of apertures 31 and surrounding a centrally disposed inlet area. From its mouth 88, the casing 14 extends upwardly and rearwardly, is tapered as at 16 and the tapered portion fitted within a metallic support 17 provided with a flange 18 to which the rear terminal edges of the casing 14 are secured, as by screw bolts 19, and the support 17 inwardly of the flange 18is provided with a series of lugs 20 circumferentially spaced; andat the rear has a sleeve-like portion 21, accommodating the body portion of a motor 22 which projects forwardly as at 23 and rearwardly as at 24, and has a shaft 25 to which is secured a centrifugal fan 26 consisting of a dish-like plate 27 to the outer face of which is secured a plurality of tangentially disposed blades 28.

Arranged within the casing 14 is an inner shell 29 offset at its forward end as at 30, apertured as at 31, and having its forward edges secured about the forward edge of the casing 14 and said edges curled over to form a seam 80, whereby the inner shell 29 is rigidly aflixed in position, in spaced relation with respect to the casing 14 and defining therewith an annular 35 passage 32 gradually increasing in size toward the rear, as at 33, and the shell 29 at its rear portion has an opening 34 covered by a screen 35 held in place by cotter pins 36, the opening 34 being disposed in spaced relation with respect m to the fan 26, and axially in line with said fan. Arranged in the space between the fan 25 and the rear end of the shell 29 is a heating element 37 of annular formation, of somewhat greater diameter than the opening 34, and also that c! w the fan 26, supported upon shoulders 38 formed upon the lugs 20, and held in position by plates 39 secured by screws 40.

Attached to the bracket 11, as by a strap 41, secured in position by screws 81, is a steam gener- 893 ating vessel or tank 42 of cylindrical formation, having a pipe 43 communicating with and secured to its upper end, leading through a boss 44, forming part 01' the support 12, secured by a collar 45 threaded into said boss 44, extending into the space between the fan 26 and the rear end of the shell 29, and having a rearwardly turned end 46 disposed substantially in line with the axis of the fan 26.. The lower part of the tank 42 is reduced. and the bottom wall 47 provided with an aperture through which is extended a heating element 48 enclosed by a casing, surrounded by a collar 49 secured adjacent its lower end and resting upon the bottom wall 47, and having a threaded base extending exteriorly of the wall 47 accommodating a locking nut 50 which cooperates with the collar 49 to clamp the heating element casing in position. The heating element 48 may comprise a suitable coil, one end of which is connected to a post 51, and the other end to a post 52, and the latter connected to a dead post 82, to which a supply wire may be connected, by a length of fusible material 83 adapted to be melted by excessive heat, thus to protect the apparatus from injury.

A receptacle 53 is disposed at the opposite side of the bracket 11 and supported in position by a strap 54 fastened by screws 55, and the receptacle 53 is open at the top and has a reduced bottom portion, providing an annular shoulder 56 and a supply chamber 57 below said shoulder, commullil nicating with the lower end of the tank 42 through a pipe 84,-and also communicating with the casing 14 at ya low point in the passage 32 through a pipe 58. The receptacle 53 is adapted to ac- "commodate an inverted water supply bottle 59,

the shoulder 60 of which is adapted to rest upon the annular shoulder 56 of the receptacle 53, so as to support the mouth of the bottle 59 in spaced relation with respect to the bottom wall 89 of the receptacle 53, and a stopper 61 is arranged within the bottle to prevent escape of liquid while the bottle 59 is being placed in position, and the stopper 61 is provided with a ring 62 adapted to engage the bottom wall 89 of the receptacle to unseat the stopper 61 when the bottle reaches operative position. With the stopper 61 unseated the chamber 57 will fill until the level of the liquid closes the mouth of the bottle 59 thereby cutting off the flow until again unsealed by dropping of said liquid level. A float 63 hinged at 64 is disposed within the chamber 57, connected by a lost motion connection to a lever 85, pivoted at 65, and adapted to operate a switch 66 forming part of the electrical means now to be described.

A rotary switch 6'? is connected with line wires 68 and 69 (Figure 6) leading to the motor 22, and connected to the heating element 3'! by conductors 70, and to the heating element 48 by conductors 71 and 72, the motor and heating eleunents 37 and 48 being connected in parallel, as 'shown diagrammatically in Figure 6,'and all simultaneously energized or deenergized by manipulation of the switch 67. The fuse 83, as seen in the diagram, is connected in series with the heating coil 48, and also connected in series with the same coil. 48 is the switch 66, the latter being of any well known type, adapted to be automatically actuated by movements of the float lever 85 to cut on or off the heating element 48.

In use the supply bottle 59 is inserted into the receptacle 53 in inverted position and during insertion the ring 62 strikes the bottom wall 89 of the receptacle and unseats the stopper 61, permitting water to flow from the bottle into the receptacle 53, the bottle then coming to rest upon the annular shoulder 56 of the receptacle 53; and flow from the bottle 59 continues until the level of the water, in the chamber 57 rises sufilciently to close the mouth of the bottle and cut off the air, 'this action not occurring of course until the tank 42 is filled through the pipe 84 to a corresponding level, which is sufficient to submerge the heating ments 48 and 37, and the heating element 48 heats the water in the tank 42 and generates steam which rises through the pipe 43 and discharges axially of the fan 26. The fan 26 sucks air in wardly through the mouth of the shell 29 and discharges it centrifugally, and simultaneously mixes therewith the steam issuing from the pipe 43, the mixture deflected by deflecting means comprising parts of the casing 14, passing over the heating element 37, through the passage,32 and through the apertures 31 to the point of use, condensation passing through the pipe 58 to the supply chamber 57; and a substantial portion of the air and steam vapor discharged through the apertures 31 is entrained by the incoming body of air in the shell 29, and hence is recirculated. Automatic feed of the liquid from the bottle 59 takes place when the level of liquid in the chamber 57 uncovers the mouth of the bottle 59, and automatically ceases when said mouth is again closed. Should the water supply become exhausted in the bottle 59 the float 63 will drop sufficiently to operate the lever 85 and switch 66, and cut out the heating coil 48 without disturbing the operation of the motor 22 or heating element 37; and should the float control fail to operate properly excessive heat will melt the fuse 83 and cut out the coil 48, also without disturbing the other elements. When cessation of operation is desired movement of the switch 67 to off position cuts out all of the operating elements.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiment herein disclosed accomplishes at least the principal object of the invention; it will also be apparent that the invention has advantages and uses other than those herein referred to, and further that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; accordingly it will be understood that said embodiment is illustrative only and the invention is not limited thereto.

I claim: 1

1. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler adapted to be heated and having a connection with said casing to supply vapor thereto; means for supplying liquid to said boiler; a heating element disposed in said boiler, having an enclosing casing adapted to abut the inner wall of said boiler, and having anextension projecting through an aperture in said wall; and a fastening member exterior of said boiler and engaging said extension to clamp the wall of said boiler surrounding said aperture between the abutting portion of said casing and said fastening member.

2. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler adapted to be heated and having a connection with said casing to supply vapor thereto; means for supplying liquid to said boiler; an electric heating coil element extending into said boiler and having its terminals and conductors disposed outside of said boiler; and a fusible section interposed in said coil and also disposed outside or said boiler, and providing a safety cutout should the supply of liquid to said boiler be interrupted.

3. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be 130 treated; a boiler adapted to be heated and having a connection with said casing to supply vapor thereto; means for supplying liquid to said boiler; and an electric heating element disposed in said boiler, having a coil, and an enclosing casing adapted to abut the inner wall of said boiler, said enclosing casing having an extension projecting exteriorly of said boiler through an aperture in said wall, and a fastening member exterior of said boiler and engaging said extension to clamp the wall of said boiler surrounding said aperture between the abutting portion of said casing and said fastening member; said extension exteriorly of said boiler carrying terminal posts to which conductors may be fastened, and 145 also carrying a section of fusible material interposed in said coil and providing a safety cut-out should the supply of liquid to'said boiler be interrupted.

4. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler adapted to be heated and having a connection with said casing to supply vapor thereto; an electric heating element for heating said boiler; a supply receptacle for supplying liquid to said boiler; a switch controlling operation of said heating element; a float arranged in said supply tank and hingedly connected at one point to said supply receptacle; and mechanism connecting the free end of said float and said switch for operating said switch to cut out energization of said heating element upon abnormal depletion of liquid in said supply receptacle.

5. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler adapted to be heated and having a connection with said casing to supply vapor thereto; an open receptacle communicating with said boiler, and provided with a support; and a container, having a restricted opening in its top, adapted to be inverted and inserted into said receptacle and supported thereby, with said opening spaced from the bottom of said receptacle, whereby flow from said opening is controlled by the level of liquid in said receptacle, said opening having an inwardly displaceable stopple, displaceable upon inverted insertion of said container into said receptacle.

6. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler adapted to be heated and having a connection with said casing to supply vapor thereto; an open receptacle communicating with said boiler, and provided with a support; a container having a restricted opening in its top, adapted to be inverted and inserted into said receptacle and supported thereby, with said opening spaced from the bottom of said receptacle whereby flow from said opening is controlled by the liquid level in said receptacle, said opening having an inwardly displaceable stopple provided with an extension engageable with said re ceptacle to effect displacement of said stopple upon insertion of said container. into said receptacle.

7. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casand said casing; a receptacle for supplying liq- 'uid to said boiler; means for controlling the liquid level in said receptacle; and means affording communication between said receptacle and said boiler, said means being constructed to maintain the level of liquid in said boiler not substantially beyond said reduced portion.

8. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler and a reservoir for said boiler; a conduit extending between said boiler and the interior of said casing for delivering vapor to said casing; and a conduit extending between said reservoir and said casing to return condensation from said casing to said reservoir.

9. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler and a reservoir for said boiler; a conduit extending between said boiler and the interior of said casing; a conduit extending between said reservoir and said casing to return condensation from said casing to said reservoir; and means operable to deliver said condensation liquid to said boiler for reuse.

10. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler having a reduced lower portion, said boiler having a connection with said casing to establish communication between said boiler and said casing; a heater in said reduced lower portion; a receptacle for supplying liquid to said boiler; means for controlling the liquid level in said receptacle; and means affording communication between said receptacle and said boiler,. u

said means being constructed to maintain the beyond said reduced portion.

11. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: acasing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with reference to a subject to be treated; a boiler communicating with the interior of said casing and having a reduced portion; a heater in said reduced portion; an open receptacle provided with a support; a container having a restricted opening in its top adapted to be inverted and inserted into said receptacle and supported thereby with said opening spaced from the level of liquid in said boiler not substantially in operative position with reference to a subject to be treated; a boiler communicating with the interior of said casing and having a reduced portion; a heater in said reduced portion; an open receptacle provided with a support; a container having a restricted opening in its top adapted to be inverted and inserted into said receptacle and supported thereby with said opening spaced from the bottom of said receptacle, whereby flow from said opening is controlled by the level of liquid in said receptacle; an electric heater for said boiler; a switch for said heater; a float in said receptacle; means operable to transmit movements of said float to said switch; means for establishing communication between said receptacle and said boiler, and meanscommunicatmg at a low point with said casing and with said receptacle for returning condensation to said receptacle.

13. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler adapted to be heated and having a connection with said casing to supply vapor thereto; an electrical heating element in said boiler; an open receptacle communicating with said boiler, and provided with a support; an annular float disposed in said receptacle; a switch having conductors connected with said heating element and operatively controlled by movement of said float; a container having a restricted opening in' its top, adapted to be inverted and inserted into said receptacle and supported thereby, with said opening spaced from the bottom of said receptacle, whereby flow from said opening is con trolled by the liquid level in said receptacle, said opening having an inwardly displaceable stopple provided with an extension projectable through the central opening of said float, and into engagement with said receptacle to effect displacement of said stopple upon insertion of said container into said receptacle.

14. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a casing having a mouth adapted to be disposed in operative position with respect to a subject to be treated; a boiler adapted to be heated and havinga reduced lower portion; an open receptacle communicating with said boiler, and provided with a support; a container having a restricted opening in its top, adapted to'be inverted and inserted into said receptacle and supported. thereby, with said opening spaced from tli e bottom of said receptacle whereby flow from said opening is controlled by the level of liquid in said receptacle, said opening having an inwardly displaceable stopple, displaceable upon inverted insertion of said container into said receptacle; and means afiording communication between said receptacle and said boiler, said means being constructed to maintain the level of liquid in said boiler not substantially beyond said reduced pertion.

15. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a boiler; means communicating with said boiler operable to apply vapor to the person of a subject to be treated; means for supplying liquid to said boiler; a heating element disposed in said boiler, having an enclosing casing adapted to abut the inner wall of said boiler, and having an extension projecting through an aperture in said wall;

and a fastening member exterior of said boiler and engaging said extension to clamp the wall of said boiler surrounding said aperture between the abutting portion of said casing and said fastening member.

16. A therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a boiler; means communicating -=with said boiler operable to apply vapor to the person of 'a subject to be treated; an open receptacle communicating with said boiler, and provided with a support; a container having a restricted opening in its top adapted to be inverted and inserted into said receptacle and supported thereby, with said opening spaced from the bottom of said receptacle, whereby flow from said opening is controlled by the liquid level in said receptacle, said opening having an inwardly displaceable stopple, dispiaceable upon inverted insertion of said container into said receptacle.

WENDELL L. MARTIN. 

